KCTV 5: Child Safety, The Hidden Dangers in Your Home

By Joe Chiodo

Doctors at Children’s Mercy say they see kids every day who get hurt inside homes due to hidden dangers many parents do not think about. While you cannot baby-proof every room, you can start thinking in a different way.

Terreros says there are dangers everywhere in the home. She knows this not only through her role at the hospital, but also her role as mom to 3 kids.

Through her time looking for hidden home dangers she said, by far, the biggest problem area was the kitchen. Half of all home fires start in the kitchen according to the National Fire Protection Association.

She recommends you always use the back burners on the stove when cooking and keep the handles facing backwards -- so kids can’t pull them down. She sees dozens of kids burned from boiling water, and a big one among teenagers is ramen noodles.

Dangerous chemicals are another concern.

“Just last week, I had a patient come in who had eaten a laundry pod,” said Dr. Jennifer Lowry, a toxicologist at Children’s Mercy.

More than 5,000 kids will get sent to the emergency room every year due to the pods.

Dr. Lowry says it is easy to prevent, but most parents don’t take the necessary steps.